I want to tell you about one of the most beautiful motorcycle tours you can do in Italy, in my opinion, an itinerary that winds through two of the most evocative regions in the world: Tuscany and Sardinia.
Pairing these two regions is spot on for practical reasons. Sardinia sits almost opposite Tuscany and is easily reached from the port of Livorno (you sail overnight in comfortable cabins, so you don’t lose a day of the tour to travel), and together they create a unique experience.
Two Regions, Two Riding Styles
These two regions have very different personalities: geography, landscapes, city architecture, cultural fabric, and last but not least, food (each offers its own culinary specialties).
The roads and routes for motorcyclists also differ, both exciting in their own way: Tuscany gives you country views and flowing roads with gentle curves across its classic hills, while Sardinia hits you with a wilder feel, alternating coastal stretches with mountain interiors and sections rich in curves and hairpins that are pure riding fun.
In my view, together they’re the perfect combination for anyone seeking a tour that feels complete both as a traveler and as a rider.
Tuscany: Art, Cities, and Perfect Riding Roads
Tuscany gives you top-tier artistic heritage, with architectural complexes, churches, palaces, and museums that are truly one-of-a-kind. Beyond Florence, there are the beautiful cities of Pisa and Siena, and the medieval villages of Volterra, San Gimignano, and Pienza.
What’s great and what makes a motorcycle tour here so exciting is that these places are close to each other, and the roads linking them are beautiful to ride, fun on a bike, and immersed in scenery that’s a joy to the eyes, like the Chianti and Val d’Orcia areas.
So the whole day becomes exhilarating, both the riding between locations and the stops to visit places that take your breath away.
Sardinia: a Different World the Moment You Dock
Then comes Sardinia: the moment you disembark, you find a completely different atmosphere and landscape. Probably because it’s an island, clearly set apart from the mainland, it feels like a “land within the land.” It’s unquestionably Italy, yet at times it feels like a country of its own.
It’s no accident there’s a real Sardinian language (with dialects that vary by area), along with customs and traditions found only here.
Even the geography, the nature, and the landscapes are completely different, and you feel it as soon as you step off the ferry. The rocks, the vegetation, even the scents are distinctive and fascinating. It’s an ancient land you can sense it: in the island’s center are prehistoric complexes (the “nuraghi”) and traces of the many peoples who have come over its long history.
For example, Alghero, perhaps Sardinia’s most beautiful city (and a stop on our tour), was founded by the Genoese in the 12th century and later conquered by the Catalans in the 14th, who reinforced and expanded the old fortifications; it’s still extraordinary to walk them while enjoying magnificent sea views.
Across the island you can admire traces of the many peoples who arrived to conquer and rule: from the ancient Phoenicians and Romans to the Saracens (you’ll notice many coastal Saracen towers), to the Aragonese and the Spanish. All of this is set in landscapes that fascinate: spectacular rocky settings, Mediterranean scrub, centuries-old olive trees, and granite hills.
Why Sardinia Hooks Riders
Personally, every time I go I have an unforgettable experience so much that I “suffer” from what I call “Sardinian sickness,” a constant yearning to return. On a motorcycle, it’s even more engaging and exciting, because you’re in direct contact with the land.
The roads are fantastic to ride; beyond the scenery, the pavement is almost always perfect, with plenty of grip for enjoying the curves. On our tours we choose routes not only along the coast but also inland, through the most authentic and wild zones, often in the mountains.
Within Sardinia there’s a vast network that you need to know well before venturing in; there are many branches and route variations. For this reason, I highly recommend a guided tour run by people who know the area (otherwise you risk getting lost, wasting time, and missing the most beautiful roads).
Personally, I’ve been visiting Sardinia for over 20 years, almost every year, and almost always by motorcycle, and I know the area well, as do our guides who lead our riding groups.
Thanks to this experience, we at Italy Moto Tours organize fantastic tours in both Sardinia and Tuscany.
Our Perfect Tour
Over the years we’ve refined our format, and now we offer the “perfect tour”: an intense, engaging week with 3 days in Tuscany and 4 in Sardinia.
The perfect tour starts in Florence, where you spend the first day visiting the city (and believe me, it’s really worth it), then moves into Chianti and Val d’Orcia, with stops in Siena and other medieval villages, reaching Pisa (with the beautiful Piazza dei Miracoli and its Leaning Tower) and ending the third day in Livorno (where you board late in the evening and travel overnight so you don’t lose even a single touring day getting to Sardinia)
The remaining 4 days are devoted to exploring the island of Sardinia (Sardegna in Italian) by motorcycle, with routes that follow the west coast (along the famous SS125, a cult road for motorcyclists), then head inland, cross to the east coast, and continue up to the north of the island. Every day brings routes through different landscapes on roads that will leave you breathless.
In conclusion, Sardinia and Tuscany: two different yet complementary experiences that you’ll remember as one fantastic journey.
Don’t miss the chance to do it!
